Truck loader



Feb, 13, 1951 AC. HENSLEY TRUCK LOADER Z5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 14, 1946 mm 7 E mm mv mm mm K Inventor Alva C. Hensl Feb, 13, 1953 A. c. HENSLEY TRUCK LOADER Filed Sept. 14, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenror Alva Hens] Feb 13, 1951 A. c. HENsLEY TRUCK LOADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 14, 1946 w ON 2 Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED" STATES TRUCK LOADER? Alva c. Hess1e Mn 111.; assirior to Jam l). Whitson, Decatur, Ill.;- as trustee Application September 14, 1946, "Sr'ia'l Noz ss'rosz 12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to: selfloading". trucks" and more particularlytothe loadinggmeans'zforr the. truck.

The present invention is; particularly adapted forattachment-to most common typesiof dump:-v ing trucks. It is one of theobjects 'of theipresent invention to provide a truckwithia bucketwhich" is so arranged that it can be :filled by merely backing the truck into the material to be loaded and which bucket canzthen be'operatedi'to fill the truck on whichit is mounted: It isra furtherv obj ect of the present invention toprovide'a bucket of the above mentioned-character which is so icons structed-that it can be; used to pick :up aload and then dump the; load" in-a truck .iother' than the one on Which-the bucket is mounted;

It isia still further object of .the present inverr-A tion to provide a truck loader: which: can; be mounted on a conventional type of dumpingtruck to be used for loading thetruckonfwhich it 'is mounted and which bucket :willautomatically be moved out of the way whenthe dumping body'of the truck is manipulated to dump' the load. A still further object of the present inventionliesi in the provision of a simple two piece L. bucket which isso arranged as to .be self dumping when the bucketis brought to a predeterminedipositiom A still further object of the presentiinvention is the provision of a two piece bucket of the above mentioned character whereinth'e twoparts move? to their unloading position as the bucket reaches: a predetermined elevatedposition andwhereini'at least one of the :two parts of the bucket cooperates with the truck body for movinggthe two .parts'io'f, the bucket backto their relative closedpositions as the bucket is returned from its dumpinggposition towards its loading 1 position.

The attainment of theabove and further. obs jeots of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side viewof a self-loadingldump ing truck embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view of the same truck in itsload dumping position;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the truck;

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken along the- Figure 5 is a fragmentary side'view illustrating; an alternate use of the loadingistructure of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a plan viewof the'loadingoperation' of Figure 5; and

Figure 17 is an .enlargedzside view of the'bucket and'iits mountingsmeans;

Reference mayrnowf be had more particularly to g the I drawing wherein; like '2 reference numerals 1 designate like a parts throughout.

Inzthet. drawings.- I; havershown at .I an automobiledumping truck of 'a conventional constructioniand' to which: my' present invention has been applied: .The truck includes the usual steering wheels .2, the rear driving wheel's -3', the driverscab 4;: the body sills -.6i and 5a.. dumping truck body i pivoted to the isills; 6' Fto swing about a :pivot 8' and adapted to beswung 'to'a dumping-position, suchxas indicated in'Figure .12, by theusual power means, such as, iorrinstance;a' pneumaticram In which maybetop'eratedfrom the cab of the truck. Theitruck; body;- 'Lincludes also a 'usual 'type of tail gate I Zpiv'oted tostheptruckbody at I3. this instancethatailgate. has? two or more vertically extending guide'bars- !4 =secured thereto and extending'below'the bottom of the tail gate for 'a' reason which; will? be' pointed out as this description. proceeds.

. A pair of;side arms? I8 l8 are pivoted'to the' truckzbodyxl on opposite sides thereof to swing about horizontally aligned. pins forming a horizontal transverse. pivot axis 19 which'is located.

atsubstantial distancei'forward ofthe'rear end of the. truck; body: In.this.vinstance' it is located atthe forward half .of the .truck body 1; Each-sidezarmzi 8 extends rearwardly'of the truckbodyf'and. adjacent therrear' end thereof .has an upright ZO-xwelded or "otherwise rigidly secured" thereto and bracedrbyia brace 2! which is welded at one end to: a sidearm: l3 and. at its opposite end to 'anzupright 2G2 Thetwo upright 2Q--2i|" tion 25 which includes afiat'base 26 having'a pair of sides 2.?2l welded or otherwise secured thereto; but havingno back. The second pieceof the two piece bucket is'a'backstop'29 consisting'of a rear plate 38 and a pair of side plates 3! welded thereto; The back stop has no bottom between the side plates 3l3 1-. 3| of the back stopfit snugly between the sides 2'!2? of the shovelportion 25 0f the bucket.

The back stop 28 is pivoted to the bottom 25 at a pivot 33. The side arms 3! of the-back stop lit The pipe and The side plates between the side arms 2'! of the lower bucket portion 25. A pair of springs 35, one on eachside of the bucket, connects the sides 31 with the sides 27 and constantly urges the back stop to its back closing position, as indicated in Figures 1 and '7, where the bottom of the sides 3| bear against the base 25 of the bucket. A pair of short steel mounting straps 38 are secured one to each of the bucket sides 2's, onthe outer sides of the bucket, as by spacer blocks 39 to which they are welded and which are in turn welded to the outer sides of the sides 27. The straps extend rear wardly of the bucket and are pivoted at 40 one to each of the arms [8. The bucket is thus pivotally supported by the arms it.

Each one of the uprights 20 has a projecting bar 42 welded thereto as at 3 and extending downwardly and rearwardly from the weld. Each bar 42 carries a bell crank latch 45 pivoted thereto as at 48 and having at one end a latching nose 4'! which is adapted to ride under and engage a latching lug 43 that projects from and is welded to the strap 38. When the latch i engages the lug 43 the bucket is locked to the arms i8 and cannot swing about the pivot axis 49. When the latch 45 is disengaged the bucket is free to swing about the pivot 43. In order to release the latch 45 there is provided a rod 53 which is connected at one end to the bell crank latch s5 and at its opposite end is connected to a crank 5% that is keyed to a rod 52 that extends through the pipe 22. The rod 52 is turned by means of a lever 54 that is keyed thereto and is urged in one direction against a stop 55 by a spring 58 and is movable in the opposite direction by a trip cable 51 that leads to the interior of the truck cab t. By pulling on the trip cable the lever Ed is turned in a direction clockwise as seen in Figure 1, therebyturning the rod 52 in the same direction and thus turning the two cranks 5i which are keyed to the rod 52 on opposite sides of the truck body. Each one of the cranks 5i pulls upon a rod or cable 58 to release its latch 45. Once the latch is released the bucket is free to turn about the pivot 48 and will so turn by gravity whenever the arms l8 are in an elevated position.

Means is provided for raising the arms 18 to raise the bucket. This means comprises a cable 69 which is secured to the steel tube or pipe 22 and extends over sheaves or spools Bi at the top of the tail gate to a cable spreader bar 62 and to a pulley 53. A cord 54 has one end thereof rigidly secured at 655 to the forward top end of the truck body .1, then extends rearwardly above the truck body and around the pulley 63, then again forwardly of the truck body and around a pulley 66 at the forward top center of the truck body, and then down to a wind-up drum 68 of a power unit. When the drum 68 of the power unit is wound to reelin the cable 64 the pulley 63 is moved to the left, as seen in Figure 1, thus drawing the cable 50 upwardly and raising the arms it which carry the bucket 2 3. The pipe 22 just clears the top of the tail gate as the arms l8 are raised, and ultimately reaches the truck loading position illuustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1. There may be provided a cable iii one end of which is secured to the top rear side of the back 33 of the bucket. The other end of the cable 73 is permanently fixed to the top of the tail gate. When the bucket is in its lowered position, as illustrated in Figure 1, the cable 78 is loose. When the bucket is raised, and the side arms l8 approach the position illustrated in dotted lines in Figure l, the cable 70 is drawn 4 taut and as the arms i8 continue to swing towards the position illustrated in dotted lines in Figure l, the taut cable H3 then positively forces the back portion of the bucket to swing downwardly about the hinge pivot 33, in a counterclockwise direction, to its dumping position and thus assures dumping of the contents of the bucket. The cable 16 need not be provided in those cases where the bucket is used with dry loading material of the type which is not likely to cause the two bucket parts to stick together. In order to load the bucket for loading the truck the automobile truck with the bucket in the position illustrated in Figure 1 is backed into the load. When the bucket has been sumciently filled the special power unit is operated to wind the cable 64 on the drum 68, thus drawing the arms l8l8 upwardly to raise the bucket. At this time the latch 45 is locked under the latching lug 48 so that the bucket cannot swing about the pivot 48. As the arms I8 rise and bring the bucket .to an eleated position the bucket is gradually being tilted with respect to the ground but not with respect to the arms 18. Thus as the bucket comes over the top of the truck there is a tendency for the back of the bucket gradually to swing backward and gradually to spill its load into the truck body as the arms l8 continue to turn. If that tendency is insufficient to cause, the bucket .back to swing about the pivot 33:; against the action of the springs 35, that swing-. ing action is forced by the cable when the,

cable E8 is drawn taut as the arms continue to.

move. When the arms i8 ultimately reach-= their limiting position, as determined by limiting; stops #2 which are welded to the outsides of the truck body, the bucket back 29 has been positively; forced to its dumping position. When the arms; I8li3 are then swung back from their elevated, position to their lowered position the spring 35; force the back 29 of the bucket to return to theposition illustrated in full lines in Figure 1. In the event that the friction between the bucket back and the sides of the bucket bottom is too great to allow the springs 35 to return the back stop 29, as may result when clay becomes clogged in the bucket, no harm will result. Under such circumstances the return or lowering movement of the arms [8 will bring the outer side of the back 3% into engagement with the top of the tail gate and, as the arms i8 continue to move downwardly, the back 29 will be positively forced to turn about the pivot 33 towards the position illustrated in full lines in Figure 1. If the back L 29 does not ultimately reach the full line posi-.

tion illustrated in Figure l, as, for instance, due; to the action of clay between the side plates 3t and the side plates 21, the top portion of the back; 30 will ride down the guide bars 29 as the arms l8 are lowered, and the back 39 will ultimately end up in a position in engagement with the bot tom portions of the guide bars l4.

From the above description it isapparent that the springs 35 may be entirely omitted. When that is the case the back stop 29 will be tilted back from the position illustrated in full lines, about the center 33 as a center, until the top of the rear plate 30 engages the guide bars 14. This will not interfere with the action of the bucket. It will merely increase the loading capacity of the bucket. Under such'circumstances when the arms 3 are elevated the top of the rear plate 38 rides upwardly on the guide bars I4 until it rides above the tail gate and then, when the pivot 33 rises to a level above the tail gate .andicontinues to:rise,..the backstop; 29"tiltfs. about the. pivot" axis 3E5Tand'fgradually dumps. the contents .of,the.bucket." into the. truck. body.

The, truck .ofjith'e. present. invention may be usedifor. self. loading, in a manner above d'e"-. scribed, or maybe used forloadinganother truck. When the bucket 211 "has. been filled the arms 1' I 8 may bev elevated. to a position such; that". the: pivot40". is only. slightly above the top; of thetruck. body. When that is the case the bucket projects a considerable. distance rearwardly of the body, of the'truck;. Another dumping; truck 80; which does not .have self 'loading equipment,"

may then. be backed into a: positionat" right" angles toithe. truck l andimmediat'e1y.in'back of the .same andwith the bodyof (the other truck immediately below thefbucket. The bucket may then, be discharged by pulling. on V the'trip, cable 51" which turns the" lever 54 in I a direction clock wise as seen in- Figure 4'; thereby turning the crank 5"! in .a corresponding direction and thus pulling on the rod 58" to. swing'the: ball crank.

latch 45" to a' position out of" engagement withthe latching" lug" 48". so that" the entire bucket is free. to. swing abouta pivot'tlfl. under the action of gravity; resulting in'dumping of its .lOEIJdiIltO the truck" body 813"- thereunder; Thereafter the truck" I maybe 'moved'out ofthe' way' and'then, by. lowering'thearms" I 8, thebottorn' of the bucket is first brought into-engagementiwith the ground and" upon further lowering" of the arms 3 the bucketns swung about" the pivot" 40' until the curved lower-portion of the latch 45 rides over the latching lugi i-8 'andultimatel'y thelatch 45 engagesunder-the';lug 48; thus" again locking the buckettotthe "latch 48 at the end of the -pro= jecting bar 42: which is rigid'with' respect to'the arms- I8:

Angle iron bars -46 are.provided on'each side of' the' tlllCkbOdY"? for: reliving it" of the strain that it would otherwise be-subjectedto when the-cable 64 is being; reeled in to 'hoist'a loaded bucket.

When'the truck I istraveling; the-side arms 18 are in a position elevating the bucket from the ground. Thereafter, when the'loadtinthe'truck body is to be dumped it is not necessary to; go through .a separatebucket raising operation re-i gardlessofhow low thebuck'etmaybe': This 'is duetothe'fact thatthe bucket"necessarily'swings upwardly as'the-truck body'istiltedtotits dumping position even if 'the'cord. 6431s not'beingwound up" on; the take-up. drumtt! The. bucket; can beJin'a position appreciably lower than thatillhstrated in Figure 2and'still' not" interfere with thedumpingof the truck.

From the. above description. it. is. obvious ,that the truck of the present invention mayzbehused for. self-loading or. for. loading, another. truck. It' is alsoapparent thatiif. the loading. means. of the present inventionareto-be used only for self/loading, then the pivot'l 40' may be. omitted and'lthesides 2T of I the bucket may. be. welded directly'to. the arms- I8Lasby. making the steel straps 38' an integral part ofthe arms l8;

In compliance with the .requirementsbf. the patent statutesflhavehere shownand described a few preferred. embodiments. of .-my. invention. It'.is,,however, to. be understoodthat the invention .is. notliinit'edltd the precise constructions here shown,.. the..same. being merely. illustrative of .the. principles oftl'ieinvention. WhatI con-v sider. new and. desire to. secure by Letters, Patent is:-

1'. A' loadingdevice'for vehicles comprising a accuse-5 bucket, swinging arms pivoted to the vehicleiand: on... which arms the bucket is. mounted, said buck'et includinga shovel portion and a. load back. stop; portion pivoted withrespect to one another, means forpreventing sepaiation'of' the two portions during the bucket loading operation; and means efiective. responsive to a predeter= mined elevation ofthebucket for causing separation of the'twotbucket parts to "dump'the con-*- tents thereof, said ;two .means comprising'spring' members urging; the two bucket" parts together anda' cord for separating them', said cord'being. secured" to the b'ucket'and to the vehicle" at a point spaced from pivot'center. of said arms and drawn taut by the" swinging ofsaidarms.

2. In combination with .a motor truck includinga dumping. body pivoted for dumping' m'ovement about an axis extending transversely'of the body, a pair'ofsidearms'on. opposite sides of the truck and pivotedto the body about an axis extending transversely thereof and located forward: of the rearend" of the dumping I body by an amount inexcess of the depth of the dump ing; body, a" load-gathering bucketat the end of the arms, said .bucket1including a' shovel por tionland a backpivoted thereto, and means at the rear of the truck. constituting a stop limiting the: rearward movement of saidback when the bucket is in'its lowered position, said means extending upwardly a'longithe'back of the truck to thetop thereof for limiting therearwardipiw oting of theback' whilelthe'topf of the bucket is below the top of thetruck.

3. In 'combnation witha motontruckhaving a load-'receivingbody; a pair of side. arms'on ered position.

4; Intcombination with a motor truck having a load-receiving, body, ,a pair of side arms on opposite sidessof -thetruck and pivoted to the body aboutanaxisextending transversely thereof and" located' forward of the...rear. endof the dumping body byan amount in excess of the depth of thedumping body, a load-gathering bucketat. the end of .thearms, said bucket including. a. shovelportion andv a back pivoted thereto,.andmeansattherear ofthe truck constituting astop limiting the: rearward. movement of said back when.the bucketis-in.its lowered position,- said. means extending upwardly along the back of the truck. to the top thereof for limiting therearward pivoting of the back while the top of.the bucket. isbelow the top --of the truck.

5. In combination with a motor truckhaving aload-receiving body, a'pair of. side arms on opposite. sidesoffthe truck. and. pivoted to the body aboutan-axis extending. transversely. thereof, a

load-gathering bucket at the end of the arms, said bucket including a shovel portion and a back pivoted'thereto,.and means at the rear of the truck constitutinga stop limiting. the rearward movement of said backwhenthe bucket is in its lowered position,. said means extending, upwardly along the back of the. truck tothe top, thereof'for limiting the rearwardpivoting of" the b'ackwliil the top of the bucket is below the to of the truck.

6. In combinationwith a motor truck including a load-receiving body, a pair of side arms on pposite sides of the truck and pivoted to the body about an axis extending transversely thereof and located forward of the rear end of the body, a load-gathering bucket at the end of the arms pivoted to the arms about a pivot axis rearward of the bucket, said bucket including a shovel portion and a back pivoted thereto, means for looking the bucket against swinging with respect to the arms, means for swinging the back with respect to the shovel portion to permit unloading of the bucket at the rear thereof, and means for unlocking said bucket-locking means to permit swinging of the bucket about the arms for unloading the bucket from the opposite end thereof.

"7. In combination with a motor truck including a dumping body pivoted for dumping movement about an axis extending transversel of the body at the rear of the truck, a pair of side arms on opposite sides of the truck and pivoted to the body about an axis extending transversely thereof and located forward of the rear end of the dumping body to rise with the body as the body is tilted, a load-gathering bucket at the end of the arms, and means for raising the arms to raise the bucket to its unloading position, said means including a pulley and cable system including at least one pulley that rises with the truck body as the body is pivoted vto its dumping position and draws the cable of the cable system to raise the bucket above the rear of the truck as the body is raised to its dumping position, whereby the bucket is automatically raised out of the Way as the body is raised to its dumping position.

8. In combination with a motor truck including a dumping body pivoted for dumping movement about an axis extending transversely of the bod at the rear of the truck, a pair of side arms on opposite sides of the truck and pivoted to the body about an axis extending transversely thereof and located forward of the rear end of the dumping body to rise with the body as the body is tilted, a load-gathering bucket at the end of the arms, means for raising the arms to raise the bucket to its unloading position, said means including a pulley and cable system including at least one pulley that rises with the truck body as the body is pivoted to its dumping position and draws the cable of the cable system to raise the bucket above the rear of the truck as the body is raised to its dumping position, whereby the bucket is automatically raised out of the way as the body is raised to its dumping position, said bucket including a shovel portion and a back pivoted thereto, and means at the rear of the truck constituting a stop limiting the rearward movement of said back when the bucket is in its lowered position, said stop means extending upwardly along the back of the truck to the top thereof for limiting the rearward pivoting of the back while the top of the bucket is below the top of the truck.

9. In combination with a motor truck including a dumping body pivoted for dumping movement about an axis extending transversely of the body at the rear of the truck, a pair of side arms on opposite sides of the truck and pivoted to the body about an axis extending transversely thereof and located forward of the rear end of the dumping body to rise with the body as the body is tilted, a load-gathering bucket at the end of the arms, means ,for raising the arms to raise the bucket to its unloading position, said means 7 as the body is pivoted to its dumping position and draws the cable of the cable system to raise the bucket above the rear of the truck as the body is raised to its dumping position, whereby the bucket is automatically raised out of the way as the body is raised to its dumping position, said bucket including a shovel portion and a back pivoted thereto, means at the rear of the truck constituting a stop limiting the rearward movement of said back when the bucket is in its lowered position, said stop means extending upwardly along the back of the truck to the top thereof for limiting the rearward pivoting of the back while the'top of the bucket is below the top of the truck, means for locking the bucket against swinging with respect to the arms, means for swinging the back with respect to the shovel portion to permit unloading of the bucket at the rear thereof, and means for unlocking said bucket-locking means to permit swinging of the bucket about the arms for unloading the bucket from the opposite end thereof.

10. In combination with a motor truck including a load-receiving truck body having a tail gate, a loading bucket at the rear of the truck, means for swinging the bucket from a ground-engaging position to a position above and rearward of the tail gate, said bucket having an open backed shovel portion and a back pivoted thereto and movable from a loading to an unloading position, when the back is in its unloading position the locus of its movement as the bucket travels to the bucket-loading position intersecting the tail gate whereby the tail gate forces the back to its bucket-loading position if it is not already in said position.

11. In combination with a motor truck including a dumping body pivoted for dumping movement about an axis extending transversely of the body at the rear of the truck, a pair of side arms on opposite sides of the truck and pivoted to the body about an axis extending transversely thereof and located forward of the rear end of the dumping body to rise with the body as the body is tilted, a scoop type load-gathering bucket at the end of the arms, means for raising the arms to raise the bucket to its unloading position, said means including a pulley and cable system including at least one pulley that rises with the truck body as the body is pivoted to its dumping position and draws the cable of the cable system to raise the bucket above the rear of the truck as the body is raised to its dumping position,.whereby the bucket is automatically raised out of the way as the body is raised to its dumping position.

12. In combination with a motor truck including a dumping body pivoted for dumping movement about an axis extending transversely of the body at the rear of the truck, a pair of side arms ontopposite sides of the truckcand pivoted to the body about an axis extending transversely thereof and located forward of the rear end of the dumping body to rise with the body as the body is tilted, a load-gathering bucket at the end of the arms, means for raising the arms to raise the bucket to its unloading position, said means including a puley and cable system including at least one pulley that rises with the truck body as the body is pivoted to its dumping position and draws the cable of the cable system to raise the bucket above the rear of the truck as the body is raised to its dumping position, whereby the bucket is automatically raised out of the way as the body is raised to its dumping position, said bucket including a shovel portion and a back pivoted thereto, means for locking the bucket against swinging with respect to the arms, means for swinging the back with respect to the shovel portion to permit unloading of the bucket at the rear thereof, and means for unlocking said bucket-locking means to permit swinging of the bucket about the arms for unloading the bucket from the opposite end thereof.

ALVA C. HENSLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Libertini et a1 Nov. 6, 1923 Sell Feb. 26, 1929 Gross Apr. 25, 1933 Howard Aug. 15, 1933 Twik June 4, 1935 Harm Oct. 29, 1935 Venema Aug. 29, 1939 Lawton June 3, 1941 Drott et a1 Aug. 10, 1943 Smith Oct. 23, 1945 

